THREE-DIMENSIONAL WICKEDNESS – PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 26 August 2016

TOPIC: THREE-DIMENSIONAL WICKEDNESS

Memorise: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. – Genesis 3:6

Read: 1 John 2:15 (KJV)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Bible in One Year: Isaiah 60:1-63:14, Psalms 42

MESSAGE:

The title of today’s devotion invites us to have a three dimensional view of wickedness as we consider today’s Bible reading and memory verse. If we only glance at this passage superficially, we will not see what God is showing us or get a good enough grasp of the message it contains. According to our memory verse, you will notice that Adam and Eve based their decision squarely on feelings to the exclusion of the Spirit of God that was resident in them. They found the forbidden fruit to be good for food and therefore for the nourishment of the body. Since it was pleasant to the eyes they thought it will satisfy the longing of the soul, and make one wise, hereby satisfying a human’s egoistic ambition to be like God. These are indeed the three dimensions of wickedness that led to the fall. The first human beings abused their God-given freedom by those rebellions acts against God. The word of God in 2 Corinthians 11:3 says;

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

The above passage shows that the fall of Adam and Eve was not out of ignorance, but due to carelessness and a carefree attitude towards the devil. First, they were familiar with the devil to the point of having a rapport with him. Secondly, they were reasoning with the devil on his terms without any recourse for God or His commandments. Thirdly, they were so relaxed; they didn’t realize they were being setup for destruction by the devil. Unfortunately, the Church of the 21st century seems not to have learnt any lesson from this example, as we currently exhibit worse simplicity and complacency than that which got Adam and Eve into trouble. Christians now accommodate and even defend those sins that were specifically condemned in the Bible. Will you dance with the devil or STAND FOR JESUS?Prayer Point: Father, I refuse to fall for any form of three dimensional wickedness, please help me to stand firm in You.